


I Am Home (And Now To Climb)

by Audrey_F7



Category: The Haunting of Bly Manor (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Eventual Romance, F/F, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-29
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-03-10 05:00:01
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 21,142
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27768670
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Audrey_F7/pseuds/Audrey_F7
Summary: Jamie's had the incredible good fortune to inherit Bly Manor. The house has been converted into a bed and breakfast, which Jamie runs alongside her friends Owen and Hannah. Jamie's not so sure she wants American heiress Dani Clayton to come and stay. Then, she's not sure she wants her to leave...Slow burn, AU romance.
Relationships: Dani Clayton & Jamie, Dani Clayton/Jamie
Comments: 40
Kudos: 189





	1. Chapter 1

Jamie was sure of one thing. She was not going to let that American brat invade her sanctuary.

They’d never met, but she knew what kind of person Dani Clayton was. All you had to do was look at her family to understand what she was about. Entitled, sheltered, and spoiled. Those words fit like the obscenely expensive shoes Dani probably wore, the kind she wouldn’t be caught dead in even if she could afford them. Dear old dad Jonathon Clayton was, perhaps, as awful as Maggie Thatcher herself. A woman with a father like that could never belong here.

The house was one of the few things Jamie was sentimental about. It was sacred, a monument to her own family, the parts of it that weren’t hopelessly fucked up anyway. Her Pop Bill always said that as long as it was in the family, they would never be poor again. It meant something that the Taylors owned a great, good place like Bly.

They’d never dreamed that it would be theirs. Pop and Granny kept the grounds for years for the Manor’s previous owners, the Wingrave's. It was the talk of the village when the Wingrave’s made the extraordinary gesture of willing Bly to the Taylor’s. The unlikely move was a rumored punishment for some sort of dysfunction in their sons' lives. Her grandparents were too loyal to the Wingrave’s to divulge what it was all about.

She stared at the photo hanging on the office wall. It was a shot of Pop and Granny posing in front of Bly, on the day they’d gotten the keys. They’d quickly decided that the only way they could afford the taxes and rates on a place like Bly was to turn it into an inn. A steady income to keep them in retirement. They were happy to do it; they’d only rattle around in a mansion like this on their own, anyway.

This inn anchored them to the village where they courted as teenagers. They spent every night of their marriage together, parted only by death.

Jamie ran a hand through her hair. They’d turn in their graves at how low this place had fallen. She’d never forgive herself if she failed them.

“Ma’am? Did you hear what I just said?”

The woman sitting across from her had arrived on her doorstep in a royal blue pantsuit. With a firm handshake, she introduced herself as Diane Wilson, one of Jonathon Clayton’s staffers. It wasn’t unusual to get people from London out here, given how close it was to the city, but something about this didn’t smell right.

She wasn’t going to say yes, not without finding out why.

“You want to book this place for Mr. Clayton’s daughter. You’ve seen the village. Not a lot here. Wouldn’t she be more comfortable somewhere a little more…you know…”

Diane’s lips thinned into a smile, understanding her insinuation that the Clayton’s were filthy rich. Jonathon Clayton was an English-born businessman who’d spent most of his life earning his fortune in America, marrying an American woman, and having American kids. It raised more than a few eyebrows when Thatcher appointed him to her cabinet.

“Mr. Clayton found the brochure for this place himself. We all agree it would be perfect for our needs.”

She scoffed. They did their best to present the inn well, but the carpet was threadbare. Jamie pinned her with an icy stare, but she didn’t flinch. Made sense. You had to be steely to work with someone like Clayton.

“What exactly are those needs? If I’m going to rent my best wing for a three-month block, and you want this exclusive deal nobody’s ever asked for, I’ll need to know what I’d be getting myself into and why.”

Diane tented her fingers, a newsreader’s gesture that matched her suit and perfectly coiffed hair. It all said, “trust me.” She didn’t.

“The election is coming up, and Mr. Clayton is a government minister.”

“I know who he is.”

“Well, let’s not be crass enough to discuss it. I wouldn’t dare ask for your vote.”

They both knew someone like Jamie would die before voting Tory, but what the woman didn’t know was that her dad worked in the mines until it killed him. He’d been a staunch unionist, and if he were alive today, he would’ve supported the strikes.

“I don’t understand. What does any of this have to do with my inn?”

“Dani’s a good girl, but she’s given her father some trouble since they relocated to England. We want her to take some time out to get things together. Good wholesome country air would be just the ticket.”

“This is an inn. Not a babysitting service. Not a jail, either.”

Diane pointed to a dark stain on the carpet, not far from the desk. “This place has seen better days. I bet you can’t remember the last time this place was full. You’d only be changing the sheets and cooking for one guest. Easy money.”

“Not everything is about money.”

“Isn’t it? You might not like the Claytons, but theirs is as good as anyone else’s. We’ll offer five thousand pounds a month on top to compensate for the cancellations of bookings you already have.”

Thankfully, her poker face was solid. That was a ridiculous amount of money for bookings they didn’t have, even though it was coming up to spring. There hadn’t been a busy spring at the inn for years. “I don’t understand. Why do you want the whole place?”

“She needs privacy. We considered a rental home, but this is better. In exchange, all we ask is that you don’t speak to the press.”

“I see.”

She waved at Jamie to stay seated as she lifted her blazer from the back of her chair. “I must keep moving, but I’ll call tomorrow. We’re looking at other places, so I’ll need your answer no later than then.”

Striking her knuckles against the wall as she walked out, she glanced back over her shoulder smugly. What an awful woman. She knew they had to say yes.

Jamie found Owen in the kitchen, leaning against the island counter, drinking a beer.

“I’ve been waiting for you! Who was that lady I saw driving up in the Mercedes?” he asked, using the back of a hand to wipe his mustache.

“You mind if I have one of those?”

“Of course,” he replied, taking a beer from the fridge and pushing it across the counter. “What’s going on?”

“That woman works for Jonathon Clayton. _The_ Jonathon Clayton.”

“What on earth was she doing here? Don’t tell me she made a booking.”

“They want a room for his daughter, Dani. They’re asking for the whole place for her, alongside the old Wingrave wing. I mean, every room. For three months.”

He whistled. “That’ll make us a pretty penny. How do they even know about this place?”

“I don’t know. She said they came across it in a brochure. Bullshit, of course. They want to hide her away out here, and I’d love to know why.”

He squinted. “Dani, you said? I’ve seen her picture. Blonde girl.”

“Right, like a Barbie.”

“Oh, come on. Don’t judge a book by its cover and all that.”

“Why not? Usually works just fine. We should talk to Hannah. By the way, they’ve offered us extra money. Fifteen thousand pounds.”

He smacked his bottle onto the counter. “Give that woman a call and tell her right now it’s a yes.”

“There are other things to consider.”

“Like what?”

“Well, for one thing, they’re offering us a bribe? She said she didn’t want us to talk to the press. I don’t want to co-operate with bastards like them.”

“Who cares? Why would we talk to the bloody press? That’s just the way people like that do things, and they have the money to throw around.”

“How about this? If she’s anything like her father, she’ll be a right pain in the arse?”

“Let’s not cut off our noses to spite our faces. We can handle her. And remember, we don’t know what she’s like. Maybe she’s nice.”

She rolled her eyes. Owen thought everyone was nice. “Alright. Let’s talk to your missus, at least.”

“Okay. She’s out at our place,” he said, and they strode out to the brick cottage on the grounds together. According to Jamie’s grandparents, it had once been a church, but the Wingrave’s had it converted.

Her two Labradors trailed them, sensing that a mission was afoot. When they got outside, the dogs ran ahead, looping around them while they walked.

Hannah opened the door as they got closer and stepped outside. “Why do you two look like you’re up to something?

Owen pressed a kiss to Hannah’s forehead. “Got something important to talk about.”

“Is this it? Are we facing financial ruin once and for all?”

“As a matter of fact, things might be looking up for once,” Owen replied.

Hannah’s warm eyes darted between them. When Owen was finished talking, she turned around to walk back into the cottage.

“Where are you going?” Jamie asked.

“For my purse. I’m going to the village to get some good champagne! We’ve got to mark this.”

Jamie supposed she should get used to the idea.

It looked like her sanctuary was going to be invaded after all.

***

Dani looked around at her family. The last time they ate in the formal dining room like this, it was back home in America. Colin was in trouble. After a big deal went bust at work, he started showing up to family events all sweaty and talking too much. He was supposed to be the responsible one. She and her three sisters had always looked up to their big brother.

While they all looked on, her parents told him he was being shipped off to rehab. Cases were packed and waiting for him in the hall.

That was all forgotten now, and he’d been restored to his place as Mr. Reliable. Dani was sure that this time, the dinner was about her. She scooped up the last bite of chicken then leaned back in her chair. It was like being fattened for slaughter.

Dani coughed, loudly enough that all her sisters, Colin, Mom, and Daddy, twisted toward her.

Of all her adoptive siblings, Helene was the only one showing signs of guilt about the ambush. They’d always been tight. They were the closest in age, with Dani being only eighteen months younger than Helene.

“Okay. You’ve got me. I’ve eaten so much that I won’t be able to run away fast,” she said, laughing nervously.

Her mother dabbed at the corners of her mouth.

“Sweetheart. Your father and I have been talking it over, and we think you should take some time out. Since we moved here, you’ve been drifting. You’ve said so yourself.”

Dad looked back at her with an expression he probably practiced in the mirror for work. Resolute but compassionate.

It was true that she was a little lost without her teaching job. There were parts of it that she loved, but she hadn’t expected it to be so hard, and she’d been almost relieved when she’d had to quit to relocate abroad. All she had to do was take a test to get registered locally, but she kept dragging her feet.

She hadn’t realized it was such a big deal for her parents. They’d never been supportive about her teaching; it wasn’t prestigious enough. But then, this wasn’t really about her job.

“So. We can all agree I’m a drifter. They don’t have rehab for that, far as I know.”

“Please, be serious. We’re trying to help you,” Helene replied.

Dani stared at her, wounded.

Sometimes, she was sure the Clayton’s were sorry they’d adopted her. They’d started exploring adoption not long after they were married when trying to get pregnant with Colin. They went ahead with it, even though Mom’s fertility issues resolved, and they had so many biological kids in quick succession. When she was brought to her parents, she was a cute, precocious toddler who looked miraculously like she could be a product of their bloodline—no signs then of how she’d grow up to be such a poor fit.

They loved her, but she wasn’t a Clayton.

Dani wrung her napkin in her hands, under the table.

“I know it was a shock to you all when I broke up with Eddie. It’s been hard for everyone.”

“We just want you to take some time to really think about it,” Mom replied.

She stared at the table. They didn’t actually think they could make her want to get back together again with him, did they? It took every ounce of courage she had to break it off, especially since he’d moved all the way to England to stay by her side.

There was no way she’d ever take it back.

“I’ve really thought about it. I’m sure.”

“Baby. You’ve seemed very confused lately. We don’t believe that you’ve been thinking clearly. The election is coming up, and we think it would be wonderful if things were all squared away before then,” Daddy said.

“But I am, thinking clearly, I mean. I know Eddie is a wonderful man, but I’m happy with my decision.”

Her mother looked like she’d sucked a lemon. “If he gives up and goes back to the States, how do you think you’ll feel?”

Relieved, she thought, but she took a deep breath and set aside her dish. “What would you like me to do?”

“We’ve found somewhere for you to stay, a beautiful place out in a village called Bly. We want you to go there for a few months. Just until the election,” Mom said, clutching Daddy’s hand.

“You’re really sending me away?”

They knew. Somehow, they knew about her.

“No, sweetheart, it’s nothing like that. We’re not sending you away. It’s only so that you can have a rest. You can take some time to figure out what it is that you really want to do.”

She slumped. The election wasn’t for three months, and even Colin hadn’t been away for that long.

“Okay. I mean, if you guys think it’s for the best. When am I going?”

There was a drawn-out silence. Finally, Mom answered her. “Tomorrow.”

She looked around again at the way they all sipped their coffee or busied themselves with their food. Every single one of them already knew.

She scraped back her chair.

“Then, I guess I’d better go pack.”

***

On the way down to her apartment in the elevator, she sighed, knowing she couldn’t back out. All her siblings lived in this building, with her parents up in the penthouse. She was little orphan Annie, and they were Daddy Warbucks. How could she ever say no to her folks, with everything they’d given her?

She opened the door to her apartment. It was too big for one person, but she adored the dark polished floorboards and her bookshelves. Along with everything else she’d hated about the idea of marrying Eddie, it would have meant giving up on having her own place.

In her bedroom, she reached for the top shelf of her wardrobe to pull down her luggage. At the sound of her front door opening, she shook her head. You couldn’t get a moment’s privacy around here. The open-door policy was part of the deal of living in this building.

“Who’s that?”

Her father appeared in the doorway, his square-jawed face sheepish. Even at home, he wore a dark suit with a red tie, his silver hair combed back from his face.

“I wanted to show you something,” he said, holding up a brochure.

“I have to pack,” she said, nodding toward her bed so that he’d sit down.

“I know, but I want you to see where you’ll be staying. I sent Diane out there, and she said that the place is a little weathered, but you’ll love it.”

She pursed her lips. People acted like Diane was some all-powerful kingmaker, but they’d be better off without her. She was way too involved in the family, and now that she thought about it, sending her away was probably Diane’s idea.

He was unfolding the brochure, and he patted the mattress next to him. “Here it is. Sit down and take a look. There’s a picture of the people who operate the place.”

There were three people in the picture, two women and a man. They had their arms around one another and looked like friendly enough people.

“Diane says this girl is a bit of a firecracker.”

He tapped one of the women’s faces with a finger. She had curly brown hair, and at a glance, Dani thought she was striking.

Dani put the brochure down on the mattress behind her. “We’ve talked about this. You don’t call them girls anymore, especially not when they’re the same age as me.”

“You’ll always be our little girl.”

It made her heart twist. Along with all the money and privilege, her parents had given her a family. Without them, she wouldn’t be anyone’s child. 

She nodded, tears standing in her eyes.

He put an arm around her. “You’re a good girl. I appreciate you doing this for me.”

“Of course, Daddy.”

“There was one other thing I wanted to talk to you about in private. You know…you’ve always been a little…different…”

She caught his awkwardness like a virus, not meeting his eye. So he did know. She wondered if they all did, and the thought of them all discussing it made her heart pick up speed.

He was rubbing her upper arm. “I’ve known a lot of people who were different. The thing about those people is that they’re not really happy. I think you should take this opportunity while you’re away to think about if you want a happy life.”

It was hard to take in air, and she had the urge to get up and run from the room. She could protest or pretend that she didn’t know what he meant, but she needed for the conversation to be over. She forced herself to stay in place, and her voice came out high and thin.

“Of course, Daddy. I’ll really try.”

When he was gone, she picked up the brochure again with shaky hands. Her eyes went back to the woman he’d pointed out. A toughness came through the photo, even though her skin was clear and pretty, and she had those full lips. She wondered if the toughness was a trick of the picture.

She’d find out tomorrow, whether she liked it or not.


	2. Chapter 2

Owen held up his water glass, ice bobbing as he reached across the table.

“C’mon, you lot. Toast time. Here’s to our last peaceful dinner in a while.”

Jamie knocked glasses with Owen and Hannah over plates piled high with a fry up; sausages, bacon, eggs, beans, and tomato. It was the last supper because when Dani arrived, they wouldn’t be able to eat greasy meals like this.

“Hey, at least you two get to hide away out in your little love shack. I’m the only one who’s going to be stuck in here with her.”

“Oh, be nice. You never know. You might like her. Maybe you’ll be friends,” Hannah said.

Jamie snorted. “Not fucking likely. Me being friends with some snobby Yank, I don’t think so.”

Owen threw up his hands. “Look, you don’t have to like the woman. She’s just a customer. We’ve had plenty of snobby guests. Remember that Italian family?”

“Oh my god, don’t remind me. The ones who complained about the thread count on the sheets,” Hannah replied.

“And the shower. Didn’t find the water pressure up to their standards. I’ll never understand why people like that even want to stay out here.”

“We don’t have to like her, but we might. And think of what we can do with the money,” Hannah said. “We can repaint, put in some new carpet. Put some of it aside for a rainy day. I’ve been so worried we might have to sell this place. Haven’t you?”

“Are you kidding? It’s all I worry about,” Jamie said.

They were as still as statues for a moment, remembering the deal they’d struck up, one rainy afternoon at the pub.

Jamie’s father was dead by the time her grandparents passed away within a week of one another. Bly Manor passed down to Jamie and her two brothers, and they both wanted to sell. Owen and Hannah had been looking for investment opportunities since Owen had come into his own inheritance, and it all clicked into place. Owen would buy out Jamie’s brothers, Jamie would retain her share, and they’d live and work at Bly Manor together.

“Do you ever wonder if it was all worth it? You don’t ever wish you’d moved to Paris like you talked about?” Jamie asked.

Hannah shook her head. “I don’t wonder at all. We have a wonderful life here, the three of us. It’s all I ever wanted, to live in a quiet place without having to answer to anyone.”

Owen grabbed their hands so that they made a ring around the table. “Amen to that! How many people get to have what we have? No bosses. I mean, no money, but still, no bosses.”

They laughed, but Jamie quickly grew serious. “We need to protect that. I can live with the compromise of taking their money as long as we’re careful about dealing with them. I don’t trust them.”

“Of course! I don’t want to align myself with them either. We’ll make her feel welcome but keep our distance. Friendly, but not friends.”

They both looked at Owen, who nodded reluctantly. “Yeah, okay.”

“This place is perfect, or at will be once we get our heads above water. So let’s not put ourselves at risk. We keep our hands clean.”

They all shook on it.

“You’re right. Bly is almost perfect. All we need to make this place complete is for you to get yourself a girlfriend. We could use the extra set of hands,” Owen said.

“Oh, leave her alone. She’s happy as she is, aren’t you?”

“Of course, I’m happy. I’m a lone wolf, you know that. I think I’d make myself sick if I was anything like you pair.”

“Hey, at least you’ll have a pretty woman around the place for a few months. Not as pretty as Hannah, mind.”

“I’ll be right, thanks. Dani Clayton is not my type.”

“You never know. Maybe you and Dani will hit it off. Stranger things have happened.”

“It couldn’t get much stranger than _that_ ,” she said, and they all laughed again.

***

After Daddy left her apartment, Dani called Eddie to arrange to meet him in the morning. It didn’t matter how much she told herself that they’d broken up, and technically she didn’t have to tell him. She still thought he should hear from her that she’d be away for a while.

It was strained between them, but they were trying to be friends. They’d been friends for almost her whole life. She couldn’t imagine just letting that go like it was nothing.

The next morning Dani passed the same row of buildings twice before she found the café where they’d agreed to meet. She hated how happy Eddie looked to see her, eyes lighting up behind his glasses like a kid at Christmas time. He was ready for work and wearing his best pin-striped suit. When he hugged her, she could smell his aftershave, his clean-shaven face pressing against her skin.

They walked down the few steps to enter the café, where a handful of tables lined the walls.

They ordered coffee, and Dani found herself unable to do anything but make small talk. Her stomach was churning, like it always did when she saw him now.

“How’s everything going at work?”

“Great, great,” he said eagerly. “The boss says if I keep going this way, I’m going to be in line for a promotion.”

“That’s fantastic. You’ll get it, I’m sure.”

It broke her heart that he believed things like having a good job could make a difference in how she felt. The job was lined up by Daddy before they came over, a plum role at one of the larger accounting firms.

Their drinks arrived, and he stirred in sugar and cream, still chatting about how much he liked his job and how he was settling into London so much better than he’d ever dreamed. Finally, she couldn’t take it anymore.

“Eddie? I wanted to tell you that I’m going away for a few months.”

“Oh?”

“Yes. I’m going out to the country for a while. Mom and Daddy think it’d be a good idea.”

She watched the news land, noticing how his expression changed, but something was false about it. She’d known him long enough to spot when he was faking. They’d probably made him a promise that this might help.

He blew on the top of his coffee, nodding slowly. “Well, that sounds wonderful, Dani. I’ll miss seeing you as often as I do, but I’m sure I can drive out to see you on the weekend sometimes.”

“We’ll see. I’m supposed to be taking time out from everything. That’s what Daddy says. It’s the whole reason why I’m going.”

Maybe it made her a bad person, but she took a little pleasure in seeing him try to think about how to get around that. He couldn’t very well come if he wasn’t invited.

For the first time, she felt a surge of hope about leaving the city. It might be nice to get away from all the pressure, and though she doubted it given how relentlessly he’d always pursued her, three months might go some way toward helping Eddie move on.

There was an awkward silence, and finally, he smiled. “Of course. The fresh air, and all that.”

“Exactly.”

She gripped her coffee cup, staring into her drink. She couldn’t leave with Eddie thinking that there was a chance. It made her feel ill to think of him waiting for her.

“Don’t you miss your mom?”

He shifted in his chair. “I call her. All the time.”

“I just think you might be happier if you went back. Don’t you think you’d be happier?”

When she looked back up at him she could see the way his jaw muscle twitched under his skin, like it only did when he was very angry.

“It’s not an easy thing to just up and move across the world. I’m settled here, now. I’m not going to just do it all over again.”

“No, I know, I just…”

“I you were so concerned about that, you could have told me you wanted to break up _before_ I moved over here.”

This conversation made her so tired. They’d had some version of it a thousand times. It wasn’t worth trying to explain again that she hadn’t been sure, but that everything happened so fast. Her father found Eddie the job before Dani and Eddie even had a conversation about whether he should come or not. Everyone just assumed they both wanted that.

“I’m sorry.”

He pulled his wallet from his jacket pocket, throwing a handful of bills down on the table.

“I know, so you keep saying. I’ve got to get to work.”

“Eddie…”

He picked up his briefcase and stood next to the table, laying a hand on her shoulder. “Have a nice time out in the country, okay? I hope you figure out whatever it is you need to figure out.”

Why wouldn’t anyone listen to her? He bent down and kissed her forehead.

“I’ll see you soon, Dani.”

She watched him go.

Maybe leaving London wouldn’t be so hard to do.

***

The sun streamed in brightly where her curtains parted. Jamie stretched her arms over her head, her breath huffing out when one of the dogs moved onto her chest.

“Hey Pepper, hey boy,” she said, while her chocolate Labrador licked her face.

She sealed her lips tightly so that his tongue couldn’t come into her mouth. While she scratched behind his ears, his tail thumped against her legs. Soon her yellow Lab, Salt, woke up and joined in.

“Well, you two, we’re going to have a new guest for a while. Oh, you’re happy about that? Makes one of us. C’mon, let’s go out for a walk.”

She pulled on a pair of jeans and an old shirt, the black one with _London Calling's_ cover on the front. When she got back from throwing the ball around, she gave the inn a final once over. There was never enough time to scrub floors and wipe down surfaces. They often shut off parts of the inn, especially the old Wingrave wing, but they’d made sure the whole place was cleaned up for Dani. The Clayton’s were paying for it, after all.

She stood at the top of the stairs, staring down at the foyer where she’d set a vase of roses on a table. She’d visited this place as a kid when it still belonged to the Wingrave’s, and back then, it seemed like a castle. With the way her family was stuffed into their tiny council flat, she couldn’t imagine living in a place like this.

Now that she had it, it was impossible to imagine giving it up. Taking Jonathon Clayton’s dirty money was a desperate act, but now that it was done, there was no choice but to make it work. Dani had to like it here. If she left early, it’d blow the deal.

At the sound of a knock, she ran down the staircase toward the front door. When she opened it, the first thing she saw was a man in uniform with sleek black luggage at his feet.

“Hello, ma’am. Ms. Taylor?” he said, taking off his cap. Underneath it, his blond hair matched the mustache curling over his top lip. It’d give Owen’s a run for its money.

“Jamie. That’s me. Welcome.”

Over the man’s shoulder, Dani peered back at her. In person, she was even prettier than she looked in her pictures and not as posh as she’d been expecting. She was dressed in a pink striped shirt tucked into jeans. Her hair was swept up into a half ponytail, with thick locks of blond hair falling around her face.

Doug stood aside, and Jamie held out a hand. When Dani shook it, smiling back at her, she had to admit it. She was beautiful.

“Thanks, Doug. I can take it from here,” Dani said.

“You sure, Miss Clayton? I can take your bags to your room?”

“It’s fine, thanks. You can go, Doug.”

He stepped back. “Okay. I’ll see you when it’s time to pick you up.”

It was subtle, but Dani flinched when he said that. What was that about? They watched him heading back to the silver Mercedes.

“Welcome, Miss Clayton. Shall I take your bags to your room, and then I’ll show you around?”

Dani was stood, just staring at her. Her shoulders were drawn up, and the pretty smile didn’t quite reach her eyes.

“Please, call me Dani.”

“Okay, then. Dani, it is.”

“Is it okay if we don’t do the tour just now? I’ve got an awful headache. I wouldn’t mind taking a nap if that’s okay.”

“Of course. The place will be waiting for you when you wake up. Come, I’ll show you to your wing.”

She reached for one of the cases, but Dani put out a hand. “Oh no, I’ll take them. Thanks.”

Jamie raised her eyebrows as she turned around. It wasn’t every day that she met a rich person who didn’t want to avail themselves of what the world told them was their due.

She’d always understood what it was about. It wasn’t such a hardship to carry your own bags or park your own car. But for them, what was the point of being upper-class if there weren’t people below you? People who were destined to carry the bags and scrub the floors. There was no point getting too upset about it. It was just how it worked.

Dani was following her toward the stairs. Jamie realized she’d better stop musing about the class system's finer points and act like a host.

“I think you’ll like your wing. There are other rooms, and you can change it if you like. Once you’ve had a chance to look around, I mean.”

“I’m sure I’ll like it.”

They walked toward the stairs when Salt and Pepper bounded around the corner, running full tilt toward Dani. She’d meant to put them out, and she swore under her breath.

“Salt, Pepper, sit down!”

They ignored her and sniffed at Dani, who put her bags down to pat them. “They didn’t tell me there were going to be dogs!”

“I’m sorry they’re jumping all over you, little shits.”

She took each of the dogs by their collars to guide them away and then passed Dani to get to the steps. She was struck by her perfume, the scent not too sweet or floral. It made her draw an extra breath.

She should go through some housekeeping stuff now so that she could make herself scarce. The introduction to Hannah and Owen would have to happen some other time.

“We serve breakfast at eight, dinner at one, and tea at seven. That’s during the week. Breakfast can be later on the weekends. If you don’t like something, please let us know. Happy to make adjustments.”

“That sounds great, thank you.”

“We’ve already had lunch, but I can bring something up to you if you’d like?”

“No, thanks so much, but I had something in the car.”

“Alright,” she said as they passed down the hall. “Here we are.”

She pushed open the door and stayed back while Dani entered, looking around before she lined her cases up at the end of the bed.

This was the bedroom that Jamie was most proud of. Large windows opened onto a stunning view of the grounds. She put so much of herself into that yard.

The antique four-poster bed matched the chest-of-drawers, and they sat atop a Persian rug. The best thing about the wing was the clawfoot tub in the bathroom across the hall. She’d set some candles and bubble bath lotion near it this morning.

“Thank you. This is wonderful,” Dani said.

For the first time, she noticed that Dani’s eyes looked a little red, like she’d been crying. She didn’t like to get involved in the guest’s affairs, but she wondered what was wrong. She stuffed her hands into her pockets.

“No problem. Please make yourself comfortable. If I can do anything, let me know. I’ll introduce you to the others at tea.”

“I don’t think I’ll be down if that’s okay. I hope I don’t seem rude…just like, a bit of a tough morning…”

“Of course. I completely understand. I’ll leave a tray outside your door at seven, all right?”

“Perfect. Thank you.”

“No problem. Your room key is on the nightstand, keys for the front and back door too. There’s an extension on the nightstand if you want to make any calls. If you want to take a spin around the grounds to get some fresh air, you’re most welcome. Nobody will bother you. Well, maybe the dogs, but you looked like you wouldn’t mind that.”

“Thank you. I wouldn’t, not at all,” she said, smiling.

Jamie softly closed the door behind her, frowning. None of her business, whatever it was, but she wished she could help. At least she’d made her smile at the end; a real one this time.

Hannah and Owen would be waiting for her, so she went out to the cottage and knocked. When she glanced over her shoulder, she saw the curtain dropping back down in Dani’s room.

Owen answered the door, craning his neck to look behind her. “Where is she? We saw the car. We were waiting to be summoned for introductions.”

She walked into the cottage and sat at the round table in the room’s center. There wasn’t much other furniture in the space, but they had a kitchenette and bathroom, so they didn’t have to come up to the main house unless they wanted to.

“She didn’t want to be shown around just yet, so I didn’t get the chance. She said she had a headache. She’s gone right to bed.”

“Well, that’s an anticlimax,” Owen replied. “What’s she like, though? Does she smell like money and corruption?”

She caught herself before she could say that, all joking aside, Dani smelled very good. They’d have a field day with that, after their jokes from the night before.

“Let’s just say she’s different from what I was expecting.”

“How do you mean? In what way?” Hannah asked.

“She’s very nice. Seems a bit upset about something, though. She’s not coming to tea, so you won’t get to meet her at least until tomorrow.”

“Okay. A woman of mystery. I’m sufficiently intrigued. Well, I guess we’ll see her then,” Owen said.

Jamie accepted the soda Hannah held out, cracking it open with Dani’s sweet smile still behind her eyes.

She had to admit it. She was more than a little intrigued by Dani Clayton herself.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just wanted to say thanks for all your comments and kudos, really puts a smile on my face :)
> 
> And credit to Shirley Jackson for the story title.

Dani paced the room. A beautiful bouquet of roses was atop the dresser, a smaller bunch on the nightstand. This whole house was gorgeous, what she’d seen of it, anyway. Not that her family cared whether she’d actually like it here. They just wanted to get her out of the way.

She couldn’t calm herself down. All the way here, she thought about how Eddie wasn’t even thinking about going back to the States. Her whole family was trying to trap her into getting back together with him, and Bly Manor was just another tactic. Why couldn’t they have sent her to a hotel? Somewhere things could feel safe and anonymous, where she wouldn’t have to worry about what people thought of her. Jamie probably thought she was weird already.

She went to the window and drew back the curtain. There was a cottage out there, across the yard. Soon Jamie came into view, working her way from the main house toward the smaller place. Even from up here, Dani could see her confident stride.

When she got to the door she looked back, and Dani quickly dropped the curtain, biting her thumbnail.

Even with how distracted she was, she’d noticed that Jamie was striking. It was those eyes that looked right through her. And it was her lips, which appeared too soft to be real.

She’d rest and try to make a better impression tomorrow. After barely sleeping the night before, she was a wreck. She pulled off her shoes and curled up on the bed.

She awoke to a light tap on the door and checked her watch in the fading light. Already seven. She waited until footsteps receded before collecting her dinner from the hall. There was a plate of lemon baked chicken and vegetables with a fresh-baked roll.

She ate on her feet at the dresser, polishing off the whole plate. She’d been lying about eating in the car. She thought about taking the tray downstairs, but in the end, she left it outside her door.

She curled up on the bed again, thinking about the fact that Jamie would soon be outside of her door. At least she assumed it would be Jamie, and she wondered what the other people who worked here were like.

She pictured Jamie in her band shirt and jeans, the kind of cool that said she didn’t give a damn what the world thought of her. The type of woman that Dani had always been drawn to. How funny that her parents had sent her here to fix things with Eddie, but they’d placed her somewhere she was at risk of having the kind of crush that stopped her from loving him in the first place.

Her parents could never understand it - she didn’t wholly understand it herself - but she very much _liked_ feeling that way. It had taken a long time to admit how much she enjoyed looking at women, how a beautiful woman could make things feel so right.

When she woke up in the morning, she was groggy, but she couldn’t stay here all day. She got up and rifled through her suitcases, pulling out a purple sweater and jeans.

After tiptoeing down the stairs, she followed clattering dishes and voices toward the kitchen. She paused outside to listen.

“Hey, how many eggs should I scramble?”

“I don’t want eggs, so I don’t know. I think I’ll just have some toast…”

“I could swear I got orange juice. Don’t you think we should have orange juice?”

Finally, she walked forward. It was like being the last one to arrive at a party. A hush fell over the room. The man and woman from the photo were here, and Jamie. She was dressed in a checked shirt over overalls, with thick work boots on her feet.

“Good morning.”

“Good morning,” Jamie said.

When their eyes met, her stomach dropped. There was no reason to think that Jamie could ever be into her. Still, when their gazes locked, she got a funny feeling like they were connecting.

“Dani?”

It was the other woman speaking, and it made her jump. For a moment, she’d forgotten that anyone else was there.

“Hi! I’m Hannah. It’s so nice to meet you,” she said, hand outstretched.

Dani shook her hand, gazing at her shorn head and gold earrings. She was beautiful, kind-looking, and Dani liked her right away.

“Owen,” the man said. His brown eyes were friendly too, and he shook her hand with a firm grip. “Hope you’re hungry. Breakfast will be ready in a few.”

“Sure, thanks.”

“I can show you around while they finish breakfast. What do you think?” Jamie asked.

“That would be great.”

They walked around the house, Jamie pointing out her own quarters and a couple of the other guest rooms. Dani poked her head in and saw that each room was lovely in its own way, but hers was the best.

“This place seems like it has so much history,” Dani said as they passed along the hall upstairs, admiring the portraits lining the wall.

“It does. A lot of the furniture and ornaments and things have been at the house for ages. My grandparents inherited this place, and they wanted to preserve as much of it as possible. I feel the same.”

Dani ran her hand along the polished banister. “This is all yours? Wow.”

Jamie nodded proudly. “Well, with Hannah and Owen, it is. We all own it together. And those two are married. Maybe I’m mad to go into a business with newlyweds, but I trust them.”

When they arrived back downstairs, the table was covered with dishes, a teapot standing in the center. Jamie pulled out a chair for her, and Dani settled into it, smiling up at her.

“Thank you. This all looks wonderful.”

“Tea?” Jamie asked, holding out the pot.

When she passed it, Dani noticed her hands. They looked strong. Hands that worked a lot, long-fingered with neatly trimmed nails.

They tucked into their breakfasts.

“You know, you’ve got a culinary master serving your breakfast here. Owen nearly became a chef,” Jamie said.

“I feel lucky, then,” Dani replied.

“Oh, you should. Those scrambled eggs could be earning a Michelin Star. But he decided to stay in the village, hanging around with us.”

“Bugger off,” Owen said, good-naturedly.

“How do you all know one another?” Dani asked.

“Everyone knows one another in Bly,” Hannah said. “I went to school with Owen, and when Jamie moved here to be closer to her grandparents, we struck up a friendship.”

“Yes, and I helped convince this man to stop being such a baby and ask Hannah out. He was mooning over her something fierce.”

Dani watched the glance that passed between Owen and Hannah, something precious and private. She couldn’t imagine sharing a look like that with Eddie, even with all their shared history. It made her feel a sense of rightness about her decision, one that she hoped to hang onto no matter how much her family pressured her.

Why would you marry someone if you couldn’t look at them like that?

“It’s so nice that you all live and work here. It’s such a beautiful place. It must be an awful lot of work, though?”

“It is, but we love it, so it doesn’t feel like work. Owen cooks and helps out with various things, Hannah does the lion’s share of the cleaning, and I do the landscaping.”

“You do the gardens and everything? Wow. It’s so pretty.”

“Thanks,” she said, smiling back at her. It made her lips look even fuller, pillow-soft.

Dani picked up her fork again. She was going to have to stop staring at her so much.

She snuck one more look. Hair fell over Jamie’s eye, and she brushed it away with the back of her hand, then reached for her teacup.

It wasn’t going to be easy.

***

When the breakfast dishes were squared away, Jamie went to her office. The freedom of being on her own clock still felt like a novelty. It was hard to believe she could do whatever she wanted. When she wasn’t out digging in the dirt, she liked settling into her armchair, right under the window.

She pulled a tape from its case and put it in the player. Salt and Pepper curled up together at her feet, their soft fur brushing against her ankles. She opened her ledger while X-Ray Spex played in the background.

The song was interrupted by the phone ringing. It was enough to make her laugh. The phone never rang, and now she might have to turn a guest away.

Instead, Diane Wilson said hello.

“Hi, I’ll go and find Dani for you.”

“I don’t need to speak with her right now. I was hoping you could tell me a little about how she’s settled in, how she seems?”

“Excuse me?”

“Do you think she’ll stay for the duration of the booking we discussed?”

“Listen, this wasn’t part of the deal. I’m not your spy, right? Would you like me to get her or what?”

“That won’t be necessary.”

When the line went dead, she stared at the receiver in her hand. These people were unbelievable. She returned the phone to its cradle and got back to work. Doing the books wasn’t her favorite thing, but the others whinged about the business side, and she was decent with numbers.

Looking over the note about the deposit from the Clayton’s, she was jarred by all those zeroes. It was still hard to believe.

When they’d agreed to take over, she’d been naïve. None of them cared too much about making a profit; this place was more about the lifestyle than anything. But with the upkeep on this place, it was hard to not wonder if they were crazy to hang onto it.

Owen and Hannah had sunk so much of their money into it. They deserved a better return than what they were getting.

She was staring at the page and trying to decide where to start when the dogs jumped up at the same time, running over to the closed door.

“The fuck are you doing?” she muttered, glancing at them again when she heard their nails tapping on the wood. After another minute, she heaved herself up from her chair to open the door.

“Okay, what are you two rascals scratching at? Oh, hello.”

Dani stood frozen as the dogs ran toward her. When she stood in the path of the morning light, her eyes were so blue. It was like looking at the ocean in the sun.

“Hey. I didn’t mean to disturb you. I was just looking around.”

“No problem. You can push them away if they get too fresh with you.”

“They’re not bothering me,” she said, leaning down to pat Pepper’s head while Salt nuzzled into her legs.

Jamie watched while she scratched behind Pepper’s ears, a big grin on her face.

It was weird. Dani didn’t look like the privileged American heiress she was – she seemed quite grounded. Yet she also didn’t really look like she belonged at Bly. Their guests were usually older people from London, wanting to get away from the hustle and bustle.

Dani was different. So far, Jamie was a little shocked every time she saw her, this woman pretty enough to be a movie star walking around her house.

“I could show you around the grounds if you wanted? You’ve seen the inside, but not the lake or anything.”

“You don’t have to do that. If you’re busy, I mean.”

“I’m not busy. C’mon, I want to show the place off. I work bloody hard; the least you can do is have a look,” she joked, and Dani laughed.

If she didn’t know better, she’d swear Dani was looking at her with a certain kind of interest. There was something about her smile that made Jamie feel that little flutter in her stomach.

Nobody had looked at her like that for so long. It must be making her a bit desperate, enough to imagine things.

Dani followed her outside, the dogs close at their heels.

“Now you’ve been here a night, do you think you want to stay in the wing you’ve got?”

“Absolutely. I love it. I won’t need to change.”

“Glad you like it.”

They walked side-by-side now, neither of them in a hurry. They strolled down the drive and around some of the hedges, then Jamie led her toward the rose garden.

“How long have you lived in England, anyway?”

“Six months. I still can’t believe I’m here sometimes.”

They’d reached the garden. “You would have seen these roses around the house. They’re perfect right now.”

“Is it hard to grow them?”

“Not at all. Roses aren’t fragile. They’re surprisingly tough. Here,” she said.

Jamie reached out to snap a red rose from its stem, passing it to Dani.

“That smells so nice.”

Dani moved to give it back, and Jamie waved a hand. “Keep it. I’ll show you the lake. It’s past the cottage.”

“Nice,” Dani said when they stood on the lake’s edge, looking out over the water.

“I wouldn’t swim in it or anything, but I like watching the ducks now and then,” Jamie said.

“What did you do before you had the inn?” Dani said, rushing through the words like she’d been thinking about asking her for a while.

“Me? Nothing much. Barmaid, shop girl. I got into gardening a while back,” she said vaguely. “So I was happy to take this over. I’d been helping out here for a year or two already. Pops was getting on; it was a lot to manage.”

“Well, it’s a very special place.”

“Yeah.”

Jamie rubbed the back of her neck, trying to think of what to say. Usually, the rules of small talk would lead her toward asking Dani about her job, but she doubted she’d ever had one.

“I was a teacher, back in America,” Dani said.

“You were?”

While they walked the perimeter of the grounds and checked out the greenhouse, they chatted about Dani’s career.

“Sounds like you really liked working with kids.”

“Yeah. But it was hard too, you know? They all have their individual needs, but the school system doesn’t really support that. I always wished I could do more.”

Jamie kept her talking by asking lots of questions but finally, they reached the house's front. She was sorry to reach the end of the tour when it was nice chatting like this, but she couldn’t think of anything else to show her.

“Well, that’s about it.”

“Thanks for showing me around. Hey. I’m the only one here right now, aren’t I? When are you expecting more guests?”

“More guests?” Jamie said. She was a little distracted how close Dani was standing, smiling at her with the rose stem between her fingers.

“Yeah. The other guest rooms are all empty right now? Aren’t they?”

“Yes. But it’s just going to be you staying here for the next few months. Right?”

Dani’s brow creased. “Sorry? That’s what I’m asking?”

“Hold up. You know that you’ve reserved the whole place, don’t you? Your father’s staff booked out all the rooms.”

She watched the confusion pass over Dani’s face. This didn’t make sense. That woman who worked for Dani’s dad led her to believe that this was what Dani wanted.

“I don’t understand, is there a problem?”

Dani shifted from foot to foot, then shook her head. “Not at all. Thanks again for the tour. I’m going to head to my room.”

“Sure. Lunch okay for one?”

Dani looked back over her shoulder. “Thanks, but I think I’ll eat in my room. If that’s okay.”

Jamie waited until Dani was upstairs, then went to the kitchen. Owen was laying chunks of haddock in a baking dish, humming to himself.

“Something weird just happened. I was just talking to Dani, and she had no idea she was the only guest here.”

“That is weird. Do you think there’s something _fishy_ going on?” he said, angling the dish toward her.

“Oh, stop it. Clayton’s offsider came here saying that Dani wanted privacy. But she seemed upset that they’d done that.”

“You’re right, that’s a little weird. But maybe they just know her really well and figured it was for the best?”

“I don’t know. Making decisions like that without telling Dani? Well out of order.”

“Maybe. There’s so much we don’t know about this family, though. Are you okay?”

“I just don’t like to think I’ve been used.”

He was smirking. “You’re so funny. You were acting all tough about Dani coming like you were going to hate her or something. All that talk about not being too friendly…but you’re a big old softie, ain’t ya?”

“Shut up,” she said. It was true that she’d done a bit of a turnaround on Dani. It was just that she was sweet, that was all.

“Listen, even if something’s amiss, it’s not our fault. All we can do is make Dani comfortable, help her settle in. She seemed like she was having a nice time at breakfast. I’m sure everything will be okay.”

“Sure. You’re right.”

She needed to get outside to work, and take her mind off all this. Owen was right; she was reading too much into this.

Dani Clayton was none of her business. She had to be careful to not act like she was.


	4. Chapter 4

Dani closed the door, squeezing her eyes shut. She didn’t want to cry, but the tears were starting anyway. At least she’d gotten away from Jamie without falling apart.

She grabbed her address book from her purse and called Daddy’s direct line at his office. Her face grew hotter while it rang and rang. They had a family rule that you didn’t have to go through his staff if you wanted to talk to him urgently. He was supposed to answer.

She tried Helene next at work, and she picked up after a few rings, sounding tired. “Hey, what’s up? I only have a few minutes to talk. It’s busy here.”

“Did you know that they booked out this entire place for me? The whole house, it’s enormous.. _._ ”

It was silent on the other end of the line. Dani put a hand to her forehead. “Why didn’t anyone tell me? I don’t understand why they wouldn’t just tell me. Did they think I wouldn’t agree to come if I knew?”

“I don’t know, Dani. All I know is that they wanted you to go somewhere you wouldn’t be bothered by anyone. If you were in a hotel, there would be too many people around. It’s far away, a small village. All of that was factored into the decision.”

Something awful was occurring to her, and she knew she wouldn’t get a straight answer, but she had to ask anyway. “What kind of deal did they make with the people that own this place?”

“I don’t know. I’m sure they just paid a higher rate.”

“I think there might be more to it. I mean, I can’t exactly blend in here. They know where I am all the time. Which is probably the whole point. Is this how Mom and Dad are keeping tabs on me?”

“I wouldn’t assume that. They knew the inn would be a great place for you to get some rest and get away from everything. Give you time and space to think.”

She hated hearing Helene repeat those rehearsed lines, the same ones her parents kept saying.

“Well, there’s not much I can do but rest. I couldn’t even get back to teaching now if I wanted to. I haven’t seen it yet, but I think the village is tiny. Probably a small school. I doubt there’ll be vacancies.”

“Why don’t you go and find out? And what are the people like, anyway?”

She didn’t know how to describe Jamie without giving herself away. It might better to not mention her at all.

“They’re nice. Two of them are husband and wife; they’re called Owen and Hannah. And there are dogs here, too.”

“That’s great.”

“Yeah. I can’t help wondering…what do you think would happen if I said I couldn’t do this and that I want to come home?”

Helene sighed loudly.

“I’m not saying I’m going to do it! I’m just a bit lonely, that’s all. The people here are really nice like I said, but I miss you guys.”

“We miss you too. Of course, we do, little sis. Try to understand that they only want to help. Don’t you think that you needed a change? You haven’t seemed happy, lately.”

“I don’t know.”

“You’ll never know if you don’t give it a real chance.”

“All right. I will.”

When they signed off, she sat on her bed and stared around her room. What would it mean to give it a chance? She could focus on the positive more, like the fact that she really did love this room, and the grounds were stunning. Hannah and Owen were lovely people.

Then there was Jamie. Just thinking about her made Dani feel a little better. She’d loved talking to Jamie while she showed her around. If she was honest with herself, she was drawn to her like a magnet. Someone like Jamie, exciting and cool, probably wouldn’t normally give her the time of day. They’d think she was boring.

This place had that going for it. Where else would Dani get the opportunity to spend so much time with a woman like her?

The first thing she had to do was stop hiding in her room like this. She’d been worried about how stressed out she must seem, but she was only making things worse. It wasn’t like her to hide like this, anyway. If she spent some time around them, got to know them a little bit, it would help with the nervousness. She should be eating with them.

She unpacked her suitcases and squared everything away, taking care to make her room feel as homey as possible. By the time she was done, it was almost time for lunch.

She started down the stairs and realized Jamie was coming up with a tray in her hands. She stopped walking at the same time as Jamie, her feet planted on different steps. Jamie had taken off her checked shirt, and she was wearing a tank top under her overalls. It only showed the skin over her collarbone and the slope of her neck. Nothing at all, really, so why couldn’t she stop looking?

She forced her gaze upward and got stuck on Jamie’s mouth instead. Such perfect, bow-shaped lips, and for the first time, she allowed herself to imagine kissing them. The thought lit up goosebumps on her arms.

“Hi. Where are you headed?” she asked, a smile on her lips. Dani tried to shake the feeling that she knew what she was thinking.

“I was on my way down for lunch. Sorry, I should have told you earlier.”

“Don’t be silly, that’s not a problem at all. Glad you’re coming.”

“It smells delicious.”

“We’re having Owen’s fish pie; it’s one of his specialties.”

They settled at the dining table, Jamie quickly moving her dish and cutlery from the tray to the table.

She’d never had fish pie, but she liked it – it was creamy and comforting. And it was nice listening to them all. Owen made terrible jokes, Jamie complained about the jokes, and Hannah shook her head about them both.

“So, tomorrow is Friday,” Owen said. “Has anyone told you what Friday is?”

“Nope.”

“Jamie. Awful job with the tour. Friday is our movie night. We screen a film in the living room, and guests are always invited. Would you like to come?”

“Sure. That sounds good to me.”

“See you in the screening room at 9pm sharp,” he said.

“Great.”

“What are you going to do this afternoon?” Hannah asked.

“I’m not sure. Maybe just read a book, or something?”

“Lovely. It’s the perfect day for it. I’ll show you my favorite spot, outside.”

Half an hour later, she was sitting on a comfortable garden chair, a cup of tea on the square table in front of her. She opened her book and leaned back, staring blankly at it.

What she hadn’t known when she accepted Hannah’s offer was that Jamie was pulling weeds in the garden directly in front of the lawn furniture, a scant ten feet away. A jug of water with a glass and a pack of cigarettes sat on the table. Jamie must have put them there before Hannah set her up out here.

She was having trouble keeping her eyes on the page. After a couple of minutes of going over the same sentence, her gaze drifted upward. Jamie was leaning down, not facing her, absorbed in her work.

So, she stared at Jamie’s arms (toned), her butt (amazing), and her profile (perfect). Once Dani started looking, she couldn’t stop. Although she’d been attracted to girls in the past, it had never happened this quickly or powerfully. But then, she’d never seen anyone like Jamie before.

Jamie stood and stretched, then turned to walk toward the table. Dani averted her gaze, watching from the corner of her eye while Jamie drew off her gardening gloves and poured herself a glass of water.

“Enjoying it?”

Dani’s heart thudded with the fear she’d been caught staring, but of course, Jamie was only nodding toward her tattered copy of _The Color Purple_.

“Oh…yes. I’ve read it before. It’s one of my favorite books.”

“Mine too. I thought it was beautiful.”

Dani wondered what to make of that. _The Color Purple_ was one of the only books she’d ever been able to find with a love story between women. Was that why Jamie thought it was beautiful? She wanted to ask, but it wasn’t the kind of thing you could just blurt out like that.

She’d been wondering since they’d first met if Jamie was like her. Without knowing exactly why, she was pretty sure. Jamie was what Mom would call un-ladylike, and Colin would say she was dykey. They meant it as an insult, but she loved the way Jamie carried herself.

Jamie sat down on one of the chairs, reaching for the cigarettes.

“Do you mind? Could do with a break.”

“Of course not.”

They sat quietly for a moment, Jamie tapping out a smoke and lighting it. She held the packet out to Dani, who shook her head. Dani’s stare caught on the way Jamie’s lips closed around the cigarette.

“It’s so nice out here,” Dani said, just to break the silence. 

“Can I ask you something?” Jamie asked.

Their eyes met, and she nodded.

“You were surprised when I told you that you were the only one here. They didn’t tell you?”

She broke eye contact. It was easier to talk when she was looking at the gardens.

“No, they didn’t. My family can be a little strange about things. I’m guessing you met with Diane?”

“That’s right.”

“I’ve been wondering what she told you. If they said anything about why I had to come here,” she said cautiously. It was nerve-wracking, but her instincts told her that she might be able to trust Jamie.

“Glad you asked. She told me fuck-all, actually. It was all very mysterious, so I’ve been wondering, too. I got the feeling they wanted to hide you here or something.”

“That sounds about right. My family have been a little worried about me. I broke up with my fiancé a month ago.”

The word always tasted strange in her mouth. Other girls bragged about their fiancés and boyfriends, but it felt false to her. Like she was talking about someone else’s life.

“I’m sorry to hear that. But I still don’t understand. So, your family wants you to get a break from London? I get that, I just don’t understand why here and why the cloak and daggers.”

“It’s hard to explain. There are a few reasons. You know my father is a politician?”

Jamie laughed. “I know who your dad is, yeah.”

“Well, I’m the only one in my family that isn’t married.”

“So? It’s the 80’s, not the 50’s.”

“I know. But our parents have always had certain ideas about how they want their kids to be because Daddy has to maintain a certain image. They think I did the wrong thing, breaking it off with Eddie, and they’re hoping I’ll change my mind. It’s kind of like a punishment. They want to show me that they can make me do what they want, I guess, by sending me away. Show me how good I’ve got it at home.”

“Jesus. That’s pretty awful.”

“I know,” she said, embarrassed to realize that she was on the verge of tears. She’d never allowed herself to think of it in such stark terms, let alone said it aloud. Jamie gently pressed the tip of her boot against Dani’s leg.

“What a rebel you are. Didn’t peg you for the black sheep of the family.”

She laughed at Jamie’s mocking tone. “I guess I am.”

“I’m going to have to tell Owen and Hannah we have a troublemaker at Bly. Hide the silverware,” she said grimly, crushing her cigarette butt under her boot.

“You must think it’s all pretty strange.”

Jamie shrugged. “A bit. But there’s something I should tell you because it’s starting to sound pretty obvious that you wouldn’t know, and I feel shit about it. We accepted extra money for your booking. A bribe, I guess you could call it. I’m sorry.”

Her stomach plunged, and she took a deep breath. She knew it.

“Okay. What did they ask you to do?”

She could feel Jamie staring at her, so she turned her head. Jamie’s clear eyes looked into her own, and she knew that whatever Jamie would say next was going to be the truth.

“To not talk to anyone about you. We justified taking the money because we’d never do that anyway. But I understand if you’re upset about it. Not an excuse, but we agreed to it before I met you.”

“That’s all? There’s nothing else?”

“No. Diane did call asking for information on you, but I didn’t tell her anything. And I wouldn’t do that. I swear.”

Dani sat back in her chair, nodding.

“I’m not mad about the money. I knew there would be something like that. I can’t blame you for wanting extra money for the hassle of dealing with my family, anyway. We’re famous, and that can be a problem. I was worried about what you might have promised them, but I believe you.”

“Good.”

“I don’t think that’s all they’ll do. I’m sure there’s more. I’m a little worried my ex, Eddie, might try to come out here for a visit. That’s what they’d want.”

“Without you inviting him?”

“He knows I’m not inviting him. I made that clear when I last saw him. But I wouldn’t put it past _them_ to try to arrange something. Maybe bring him out here themselves, act like it’s all innocent or whatever. They can be underhanded that way.”

“Then I’d happily tell him to fuck right off. You don’t want him here? He’s gone,” she said. Her chin was jutting out, but she was looking at Dani with her eyes dancing.

Dani laughed. “Thanks. It’s nice to know someone’s on my side, at least.”

“You’ve got it. I’ll tell you anything else that comes up with them, okay? No more surprises.”

“Okay.”

“You have my word,” she said, holding out her hand. It took a moment for Dani to understand she was supposed to shake it. When Jamie’s palm was pressed to hers, she flushed. She liked the way it felt, Jamie’s soft skin against her, fingers gripping her loosely.

It wasn’t just the touch; Jamie was looking at her so intently.

“Thanks. I really appreciate it.”

They took a long time to let go. At least it felt like that to her.

“Least I can do. I should get back to work, but don’t worry about anything, all right? We’ll sort it out, whatever happens,” she said, getting up.

Dani watched her go, feeling lighter than she had when she came out here. She picked up her novel, thinking that maybe, she could stop worrying so much. Three months was a long time to be in one place – she might as well relax and enjoy it.

She looked over the top of her book at Jamie, who was picking up a small shovel. She crouched, bicep flexing as she stabbed it into the dirt.

Dani drank in the sight of her sculpted shoulders.

Might as well enjoy it, she thought, her mouth going dry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, thanks so much for the comments! Seeing people enjoying/getting invested in this means a lot.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I've let a lot of time go by before updating but had no plans to abandon this one. There's quite a lot written for later parts, I just had to get onto it, and I got a little sidetracked. Sincere thank you to anyone who has left comments and kudos. And a special shout out to Currer, who left a comment on the last chapter. It's easy to tell yourselves sometimes that nobody cares if you update etc., but that comment inspired me to not let those negative thoughts take over. So here it is :)

On Friday night, Jamie set out bowls of crisps and nuts on the coffee table then fluffed up the pillows on the sofas. She loved movie night, even if half the time they fought about what they were going to watch. Owen always wanted to watch daft action movies, things like _Rambo_ that she found mind-numbing _._ They had a decent collection of films, mainly taped from TV or bought back from London trips.

Tonight they were going to watch a video that Owen's brother, Ethan, gave them during his last visit. He'd written the name of the movie in big capital letters across the label. It was called _Aliens,_ so her expectations were low.

Owen and Hannah were still cleaning up the kitchen after dinner, their laughter bouncing down the hall. She put the tape in the VCR and settled on the long brown sofa, fast-forwarding through the trailers. Salt and Pepper lay on the floor in front of her, dozing on their blanket.

Dani appeared in the doorway, damp hair flowing over her shoulders, already in a long tartan nightgown. It should be old-ladyish, but Dani was the sort of person who looked good in anything. On her, the nightgown was beautiful.

"Hey," Dani said, her eyes darting around the room, deciding where to sit. There were two long sofas and one armchair. It was off to the side and didn't have the screen's best view, so Jamie patted the space on the couch next to her.

"The others should be here soon."

Jamie eyed how Dani sat on the edge of the sofa instead of leaning against the back. Was she always this uptight, or was it the family stuff? Jamie wished there was something she could do to help her relax. She was still thinking about it when Hannah and Owen came in.

"I haven't seen this movie, have any of you guys seen it?" Dani asked.

They all shook their heads.

"I haven't even seen the first one, but Owen claims it doesn't matter," Jamie said.

"I told you, I'm sure! Ethan’s already seen it. And it hasn’t even been on TV yet, so we’re lucky to get it. If I'm wrong, you can pick the next film."

"Deal," she said grudgingly, slumping down.

The movie _was_ good, she could tell that right away, and it was easy to pick up the plot's thread without seeing the original. They were all drawn into it, the light from the television flickering over them while they stared at the screen.

Jamie glanced at Owen and Hannah curled up on the other sofa, her head on his shoulder. For the first time in a long while, she thought it'd be nice to hold someone, to do normal things like cuddle in front of a movie.

She'd never had that, not really. Her last relationship with Ann was a disaster. They hadn't been the kind of couple who curled up for a night in. If they had, things wouldn't have gotten so fucked up. The prison shrink, Tamara, helped her join the dots about why she'd made those decisions. They’d explored that a lot, why she'd stayed with Ann even when it was clear how bad she was for Jamie.

Talking to Tamara helped her understand that it was better to be alone than look for a family in the wrong places.

It was strange to have these thoughts running through her head while Dani was so near. She'd moved closer since the movie started, and Jamie could smell the shampoo from her freshly washed hair. Of all the people to have the urge to hold, Jamie had to pick the most unlikely, didn't she? She wondered what Tamara would make of that.

But Dani was cute and a hilariously loud movie-watcher. She laughed at the jokes and jumped when it was scary, and in the suspenseful scenes, she sat hunched over with her arms crossed, making little noises. It was almost as fun watching her as it was to watch the film.

When the credits rolled, they all clapped.

"Alright, Owen, I owe you an apology. That was great," Jamie said.

"Thank you, ma'am."

"Long, though!" Hannah said, yawning.

"Go on, get out to bed. I'll clean up in here. I was going to make some tea before bed, anyway," Jamie said.

"Don't have to tell us twice," Owen said, stretching. "Goodnight, Dani."

Jamie turned the TV and VCR off, and when she turned back, Dani was stacking a couple of the empty chip bowls.

"You’re not supposed to be helping. You’re the guest,” she said, walking over and reaching for the bowls.

“It’s just carrying things to the kitchen,” Dani said, keeping them out of reach.

“Okay, I’ll allow it.”

They went to the kitchen together, Dani rinsing the bowls and Jamie making a trip back to the living room to collect extra stray glasses and mugs.

“Thanks for rinsing those. You can just leave them in the sink. I’ll take care of them in the morning.”

“Okay,” Dani said, drying her hands on a dishtowel. She stayed where she was, worrying the towel in her hands, giving Jamie the impression she was stalling and didn’t want to go up to her room for some reason.

“So, you liked the movie?” Jamie said as she filled the kettle.

“I loved it! I didn’t think I liked science fiction, but it was great.”

“I agree. I really liked the main character.”

“Me too. She was tough. She reminded me of you, actually.”

She glanced back over her shoulder. Dani flushed, maybe thinking it was insulting in some way. “I’ll take that as a compliment, thanks. She’s…”

Jamie stopped herself just in time. For a moment, she forgot she wasn’t with Owen and Hannah. She couldn’t call a woman hot when she was speaking with a guest. “She’s cool. I’m making a pot of tea, would you like some?”

“Thanks, that’d be great. Maybe a warm drink will help me sleep.”

“You haven’t been sleeping well?” Jamie asked, taking a couple of cups from the cupboard. Dani shook her head. “It’s not the mattress or anything, is it? Because we could switch it up with one from another room?”

“Oh no, it’s nothing like that. Just a lot on my mind, I guess.”

“Ah. Well, I’m a night owl, always have been,” she said, setting the cup down in front of Dani, who stood at the counter. She hadn’t noticed it until now, but Dani did look tired, dark circles under her eyes. She’d never say it aloud, but it seemed obvious that you wouldn’t sleep well if you were wound as tightly as Dani was. She crackled with nervous energy.

“Maybe it’ll help that I’m staying up a bit later than usual. Getting myself extra tired could help,” Dani said hopefully.

“That’s the way. I was going to take this out to the greenhouse. I know it might sound weird, but I like sitting out there at night, having a brew. You want to come?”

“Sure!” she said, her eyes lighting up.

Their coats were by the door, and she told Dani she was free to put on a pair of Hannah’s gumboots.

“She has heaps of pairs. She wouldn’t mind.”

“They’re very fashionable.”

“Yes, that’s Hannah for you. Even her gumboots are high fashion.”

As they made their way to the greenhouse, Jamie decided she wasn’t going to analyze the fact that this was the first time she’d invited a guest out to the greenhouse with her. In truth, she went out there most often when they had guests to get away from them. It meant time to herself, somewhere other than her room. At night, she liked listening to the trees rustling outside, taking in the smells of her plants and their earth.

She kept a pile of folded-up blankets on one of her workspaces for when she came out in the evenings, and she handed one to Dani before grabbing one for herself. Then, she led Dani to the long seat in the middle of the room.

“It’s so nice. I mean, everywhere here is lovely, but this is special.”

“Yeah, it is. I love it out here.”

They sat in companionable silence for a while, sipping their drinks. As usual, Dani sat on the edge of her seat, appearing as though she wanted to be in here but couldn’t unwind properly.

_I can think of something that’d get you relaxed_ , she thought, then chastised herself for it. She joked when she was nervous, even in her head. Maybe Dani’s uptight ways were catching, making her feel tense herself.

“You know, I reckon sometimes it’s easier to talk to someone you don’t know very well. So if you wanted to talk about what’s on your mind…”

There was an uneasy laugh, Dani shifting under her blanket.

“You don’t have to,” Jamie said quickly. “Offer’s there if you need it, that’s all.”

“No, that’s okay. It’s nice of you.”

Jamie nodded, warming her hands on her cup, wishing she hadn’t pushed so hard. Dani brought out her protective instincts. She wanted to make her feel better, but you couldn’t force someone to talk.

She’d thought that was that, but Dani surprised her by continuing.

“It’s the break-up, mainly. It’s been tough. The family stuff worries me too, but it feels like everything would be okay if it wasn’t for that.”

“I’m sorry to hear that. Were you together for very long?”

Jamie tried to sound neutral when she asked that question. Oddly, though Dani looked straight as an arrow, the more she got to know her, the harder it was to imagine her in a relationship with a man. There was a certain _thing_ about her, that you couldn’t put your finger on.

Dani had finished her tea, and she put the empty cup on the ground next to the seat. “We were together since we were little. It started as kids playing around, so I can’t even remember when it became a proper relationship. Eddie would say that it was always a relationship.”

“Wow. Must have been very hard to break it off.”

She couldn’t fathom being with someone for that long. No wonder Dani was so tied up in knots about it all. She was staring down, picking at the edge of her blanket then smoothing it over her knees.

“It was. One of the hardest things I’ve ever done. But it was the right thing to do.”

“Then you’re very brave.”

“I don’t think so.”

“Yeah, you are. From what you’ve said, your family wanted you to stay with him. It’s hard to go against what everyone around you thinks you should do.”

“Thanks. So…” she said, her voice shaky. Jamie wondered what that was about. “What about you? Are you seeing anyone?”

“Me? Nah. Happily single.”

There were a lot of things she could say if she wanted, like that even if she wasn’t happy about it, she didn’t have much choice. As far as she knew, she was the only lesbian in town, aside from an older couple who lived quietly together. There were a couple of straight women who’d flirted outrageously with her, but she’d left that kind of drama behind years ago and pretended not to notice. It occurred to her that she could take a trip to London, have a one-night stand, but she’d done enough of that in the past to know that it could be unsatisfying.

Their silence lengthened. She felt a bit bad about how closed-off she’d sounded, but she barely knew Dani. Since moving to Bly, she’d taken the position that she’d never lie about her sexuality. But nor was she going to offer up information to guests when you’d never know how they might react. There was also Dani’s family to worry about. If it got back to them, things would go very badly for everyone.

Finally, Dani answered.

“I think I’m happily single, too. I’d rather be alone forever than be in a relationship that doesn’t feel right.”

“I feel the same way,” she said, realizing that they’d both edged closer on the seat, angled toward one another. Dani had loosened up a bit; seeming absorbed in their conversation.

The moonlight spilling in allowed her a pretty good view of Dani’s face. She was gorgeous - there was no other word for it.

“Is that why you broke up? It didn’t feel right? Tell me to piss off, if it’s too personal.”

Dani laughed, which she was grateful for. She was fully aware that she was a hypocrite, holding herself back with one hand and asking a personal question with the other. Jamie was bursting to know why someone so beautiful, who on the surface had everything going for her, had such sad eyes.

“Yeah, that’s why. When I was with him, I always felt so lonely. Even though he’s always been one of my best friends. Does that sound weird?”

“No, it doesn’t sound weird. It’s hard to be with someone who makes you lonely.”

They talked until it was very late, eventually moving from the subject of relationships to lighter things. They joked around about some of the differences in slang between American and English words. Jamie told Dani some of her favorite stories about living in London, careful to leave out the stuff she thought might shock her.

Dani yawned, and Jamie stood, holding out a hand without thinking about it.

“Looks like you’re sufficiently tired. Time for bed.”

Dani took her hand, and she pulled her up. Their hands stayed linked for a moment, their eyes locked in the semi-darkness. Jamie let go, feeling the loss when their skin wasn’t touching anymore.

They collected their empty cups and trekked back up to the house, depositing their boots and jackets at the door. They finally parted ways in the hall, where it branched out between their rooms.

They stood still, as though they were both still reluctant to go to bed.

“Well, goodnight,” Jamie said.

She couldn’t help noticing how Dani stared at her lips for a beat, and she didn’t know what to think about it. She was sure that Dani wasn’t the type to flirt with her because she might enjoy the attention she got in return. Maybe she was just curious, and Jamie shouldn’t dwell on it.

The thought flitted through Jamie’s mind that it wouldn’t be so strange for them to kiss goodbye. The reality was, it’d be fucking crazy, so she didn’t know why she was thinking like that.

“Goodnight,” Dani said, turning from her with a sweet smile.

***

Dani closed the door and leaned against it for a moment. After she’d cleaned her teeth and washed her face across the hall, she got into bed, staring at the ceiling, unable to stop thinking about everything that happened tonight. She was buzzing from spending time around Jamie, from having her undivided attention for so long.

When she laughed at one of Jamie’s jokes out in the greenhouse, it dawned on her that her crush was getting a little out of control. Jamie was so funny, but kind too, and her sarcasm was never directed at Dani.

The feeling she had when she was with Jamie was something she’d never experienced before. She felt close to her - Jamie just _got_ her, which made her feel warm and safe. But there was another side to it. It was thrilling, making her blood rush. It made her say silly things, like that thing about Jamie being like Ripley. It was true; she was strong and sexy like that.

There were other embarrassing moments. In her awkward way, she’d tried to find out if Jamie had a girlfriend. When it was clear she didn’t, she was more relieved than she had a right to be. She was sure Jamie must date women, her evasiveness about relationships only proving what she’d already known. When she made references to an ex, they were vague. Jamie’s tone wasn’t rude, but it was clear that she didn’t want to answer any questions about her love life.

She supposed she’d been a little evasive herself, only hinting at why things hadn’t worked out with Eddie. She hoped that as they got to know one another, they could talk more openly. There had never been anyone she could talk honestly to about it, and it was such a heavy burden to carry. 

Dani put her hand on her stomach, which flipped as she remembered how Jamie had slung an arm over the back of the chair they were sitting on. Her hand stayed close, like if Dani wanted to, she could move under her arm. The image of it all was so clear in her mind. Jamie’s darkly beautiful face in the dim light, sharp gaze on Dani’s face.

And then, there were those plump lips. All Dani could think about was what they’d feel like on her mouth. She’d never even come close to kissing a woman, and her fantasies had always been vague. They were rarely fixed on a real person that she actually knew.

It was overwhelming to want someone so much, but she liked how it felt. It made her feel alive, exhilarated.

Dani closed her eyes, knowing that she would be exhausted tomorrow if she didn’t finally get some sleep. As she started to drift off, a thought came to her clearly.

She was going to kiss Jamie one day. It was inevitable.

She’d never wanted anything more.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for your comments (and kudos). I feel like I left a none-too-subtle request for them, and I love that ya'll responded to it. I admit it, my ego can be fragile :) In all seriousness, they do help others find this fic, so I really appreciate it.

Sitting in the greenhouse with Jamie became a nightly ritual and the best part of being at Bly Manor.

After that first night, she spent each day breathlessly wondering if Jamie would invite her out for tea again. She tried to steel herself against disappointment. Any day now, Jamie might decide that she’d prefer to go out to the gardens by herself, or she might simply say goodnight and go up to bed.

That never happened. Every night, Jamie flicked on the kettle and took both of their teacups out of the cupboard. They were from the same set, Dani’s adorned with yellow flowers and Jamie’s with red ones. After the first few nights, when it became clear that the invitation was always open, Dani went to the village and bought gumboots. She liked having her own pair to wear as she walked back and forth to the greenhouse.

They always sat in the same place, Jamie taking the right-hand side so Dani could take _her side_ , as she came to think of it. The dogs curled up at their feet, sleeping. Jamie always bought out an old-fashioned lantern, placing it on her workbench before they sat down.

They stayed long after their tea was finished, talking about everything from music and films to politics and religion. They carefully stayed away from anything to do with Dani’s family.

Dani happily listened to Jamie talk for hours, skin tingling at the sound of her low, husky voice. She’d never met anyone who talked like that. She loved her accent and how she called everything she liked “brilliant” or “fucking cool.” Things she didn’t like were “fucked” or “bollocks.” She had strong opinions about everything and was comfortable sharing them, but she always wanted to know what Dani thought.

Dani was used to getting a lot of attention because of who her family was and how she looked. This was unfamiliar. Jamie made her feel like her thoughts were fascinating to someone just because they were hers. No matter what she was talking about, Jamie listened intently, watching her and asking so many questions.

By now, Dani was three weeks into her stay at Bly. It was Monday night, but they treated it like a weekend when there was no need to get to bed. They each sat with their backs against the armrests, facing one another with their knees drawn up, toes almost touching.

They talked easily now, and tonight Dani wanted to know how on earth Jamie managed such large grounds singlehandedly. She’d been watching Jamie as much as she could get away with, pretending to read while she drank in the sight of her digging, planting, trimming.

She’d never get tired of watching the shifting muscles under her skin or the concentration she placed on each task she was doing. What really got to Dani was the delicate way she handled leaves and flowers. Those beautiful hands, touching with something close to tenderness.

“Seriously, it must be never-ending. These grounds are so big. I don’t know how you do it,” Dani said.

“I know it looks like a lot, but it’s easy when it doesn’t feel like work. I just have to be organized and stay on top of it.”

“You really love what you do, don’t you?”

“Yeah. I got lucky.”

“I don’t think it’s luck. You made good choices.”

Jamie laughed, the sound of it sending a pleasant shiver down Dani’s spine.

“You might be the first person in the world to say that about me.”

“It’s true! I wish I could find something I liked half as much.”

“You sounded like you liked some parts of teaching. Right?”

“I did. I liked working with kids, especially one-on-one, not that I got the chance very often. I like guiding them, teaching them things. People aren’t careful with children.”

“How do you mean? The way they teach them?”

“I mean generally, the way they talk to them. There are so many adults that use kids to make themselves feel powerful. They expect them to already know so much. You’ve got to think about everything you say to kids. They remember way more than we give them credit for.”

Jamie was staring at her, eyes trailing over her face while she spoke. She looked at Dani like that more often, and it never failed to make her stomach flutter.

“I agree. I like the way you look at it,” Jamie said softly.

“Thanks. Would it be crazy if I looked for a job while I was here, do you think? I’ve been thinking about it a lot. Something short term, just to explore things.”

“Of course not! You’re here for another couple of months. You could pick up something in the village, I’m sure.”

Dani pushed hair behind her ear. She knew how stupid it was to think it, but she was starting to wonder what it was like to stay on in Bly after her time at the Manor ended. It was too soon to say anything like that to Jamie, but she wanted to test the waters just the same.

“It’s funny. I was so upset with my family for sending me away from London, but now that I’m here, I can’t stand the thought of going home.”

“I don’t like the thought of you going home either. I’m happy you’re here.”

Thick tension rose up as they locked eyes.

Dani’s heart picked up speed. Was this the right moment? Did Jamie’s look mean what she thought it did? For days now, she’d been telling herself to pluck up her courage, to close the distance between them and just do it. They kept growing closer, a hum of sweet friction coloring all the time they spent with one another. Jamie teased, and stared, and sat closer than she needed to.

It felt like it was all Dani thought about anymore. What would be like to give in? She’d never wanted like this.

Every time she grew sure that Jamie would reciprocate, she’d flip back to worrying she could be wrong. She had zero experience, and imagining Jamie rejecting her made her sick to her stomach. She’d have to stay here, seeing her every day.

The thoughts gripped her throat, and the next breath she drew was shaky, enough for Jamie to notice.

She leaned across to put her hands on Dani’s arms, running them up and down.

“Are you cold? Do you want to go back inside?”

“Yes…no….I mean, yes, I’m cold, and no, I don’t want to go inside. Not tired enough yet,” she added feebly, mentally willing Jamie to keep her hands on her.

It would be so much easier if Jamie would make the first move. She wished so hard that she would. She studied Jamie’s mouth, the shape of her lips, and her strong jawline. She wanted to push her hands into her hair and taste her for hours.

“That’s easy fixed. Double up the blankets and use good-old-fashioned body warmth.”

Jamie lifted her blanket and threw it over the top of Dani’s, scooting closer, so they were side-by-side. She held up an arm, and Dani moved underneath it so that she was tucked against Jamie’s shoulder.

Jamie fussed with the blankets, making sure they were over both of their sets of legs, and then settled against the back of the seat.

“Better?”

Her voice was close to Dani’s ear. Along with the feeling of Jamie’s slender, muscled body fitting against her side, it sent a bolt of arousal through her.

“Much better, thanks.”

She didn’t know what to do with her hands or how to stop them from traveling, so she curled them up against herself. Jamie’s arm was around her, lightly rubbing her shoulder.

Warmth pooled in her stomach. She breathed in, filling her lungs with the smell of Jamie’s hair. Dani relaxed into her. If this was what it felt like to have Jamie’s arm around her, she couldn’t imagine what kissing her would be like.

Not that she didn’t want more than _that_. She wanted everything. She longed to climb onto Jamie’s lap and satisfy the need she felt. She wanted them to go up to her room.

Dani closed her eyes. It was so peaceful out here, with the lush smells of growing flowers all around them. Inside of her, it was anything but quiet.

Finally, Jamie brushed her hair with her palm.

“Come on, you. We should get inside.”

There was a long silence. Jamie sounded so casual, as though it hadn’t affected her at all.

“Okay.”

“I don’t know what time it is. Must be late,” Jamie said, touching her hair again.

Dani’s heart, which had slowed down enough to feel normal while they sat here, was thumping once more. She knew it, _knew_ that Jamie must be excited too. Despite that light tone in her voice, her touch was tender. Why would Jamie sit like this with her if she didn’t want the same thing? It felt anything but friendly.

She turned her head, Jamie close enough that she could feel breath on her lips. Their eyes met, and then her stare dropped to Jamie’s mouth once more. Before they were even touching, her stomach tightened. Soon, she was going to feel all the things she’d been dreaming about.

All she had to do was lean a few inches nearer.

At the last moment, Jamie cleared her throat and moved away, throwing back the blanket. Salt and Pepper both jumped up from their sleep, shaking themselves.

Dani stood beside her as they folded them, wondering what the hell had just happened. She wanted to say something, but her nerve kept failing her, so she mechanically went along with getting ready to leave.

On the way back to the house, Jamie shoved her hands in her pockets, making the kind of small talk Dani thought they’d left behind. She didn’t linger in the hall like she usually did when they were saying goodnight, either.

When Dani got back to her room, she was wide awake. She flopped face down onto her bed, embarrassed and excited in equal measure.

***

In the morning, Jamie awoke later than usual, having passed a sleepless night. She’d spent it beating herself up over how stupid and selfish she’d been. She’d completely fucked things up.

She’d wanted to kiss Dani so badly last night, so much that it ached. It had been building up for weeks. The more she got to know her, the more interested she became. Dani had a sense of uprightness, a way of thinking that she admired. She was funny and sweet, and somehow she managed to surprise Jamie every time they spoke.

The attraction kept shifting, growing deeper until she started to think far too much about what it would be like to be with her.

She still couldn’t believe she’d pulled that stunt with the blankets, only to spend long minutes locked in a battle with herself over whether or not to act. She draped her arm over Dani, getting ridiculously turned on just from being close to her.

It was proving something to her; she hadn’t outgrown the self-destructive impulses that got her into trouble before. At least she’d pulled back at the last minute, not that it mattered. It might even make it worse. She hated thinking of herself as the kind of person who sent mixed messages like that.

It was almost time for breakfast, and she rushed to get dressed, throwing on jeans and her Blondie shirt. When she arrived downstairs, Owen was sliding scrambled eggs from a skillet into a bowl. Hannah and Dani were already seated at the dining table.

“Good morning, everyone,” she said. She made brief eye contact with Dani, smiling at her like she usually would. It was best for both of them if she acted normally like nothing had happened.

“About time you got up, lazy bones,” Owen said, bringing the bowl over to the table.

“You know better to talk to me like that before I’ve eaten,” Jamie replied.

Dani had obviously been up for a while; she was dressed up in a crisp white blouse. The rose-colored lipstick and eyeliner she wore made her look even more gorgeous than usual. She really did have the most beautiful lips, and Jamie had to pull her stare away.

“Dani was just telling us about her plans to look for some work,” Hannah said.

“I’m going into the village today. Thought I’d ask around, see if I can find any notices.”

“That’s a great idea.”

“I’ll drive you. I need to go to the market today, anyway,” Owen said.

Dani thanked him, but at the moment afterward, her attention flitted back over to Jamie. Maybe she should have offered to go with Dani first, but it was for the best. She needed to think about what to say if Dani brought up the night before. She needed to think, period.

She avoided looking at Dani too much for the rest of the meal, knowing that if she did, she’d stare again. When Hannah got up to start clearing the dishes, Jamie said she’d better get outside and get to work.

When she finally looked at Dani to say goodbye, her heart sank. She might not have known Dani for long, but she knew enough to be able to tell when her smile wasn’t reaching her eyes. Jesus, had she made Dani think she’d done something wrong? She was the one who should be embarrassed, not Dani.

She’d fucked up yet again.

She had to do something. She stepped closer, placing a hand on her shoulder, taking care for it to be friendly and nothing more.

“Hey, good luck with today. Anyone wants a local to vouch for you, make sure you give them my name, yeah?”

Dani smiled at her, fear clearing from her features, and Jamie gave her a squeeze. What she really wanted to do was hold her, but she tried to tell her with her eyes that everything would be okay.

As she backed away, she noticed Hannah watching them.

“Yes, do give them our names. We’d all be happy to talk to anyone,” Hannah said.

Jamie set about cutting the grass in their ride-on mower, trying to figure out what the hell she was going to do as she drove in neat lines.

This morning had proven that just because they hadn’t actually kissed, it didn’t mean that she could get away with trying to pretend nothing was going on. It wasn’t fair on Dani. And she’d have to be more careful because she had a feeling Hannah had noticed something this morning.

When she clocked Hannah approaching her with a glass in hand, she cut the motor.

“What’s going on? You never bring me water.”

“Why don’t you get down? I want to ask you something.”

Jamie rolled her eyes. It was just as she’d thought - you couldn’t get anything by this woman.

“All right, let me finish this bit. I’ll come over in a minute.”

They met on the outdoor setting, Jamie lighting up a fag, which she figured she was going to need.

“Go on then. What is it you want to ask me?”

“I don’t want to interfere in your affairs…”

“Yes, you do. That’s why you came out here. C’mon, get on with it.”

“I’ve been noticing, this last couple of weeks, that you and Dani have formed a special bond.”

She puffed out smoke, shrugged. “We get along okay, yeah.”

“Jamie. You know what I mean.”

Jamie looked away, out over the gardens. She had to stop being such a shit. She’d do the same thing if she were in Hannah’s position.

“Sorry. Yes, I know what you mean. But I can tell you honestly, nothing’s happened. Nothing’s going to happen.”

She heard Hannah exhale slowly and realized how worried she must have been. “Good. I can see that you’re fond of her. I can also see why; she’s a lovely girl.”

“But it’d be ridiculous. I know that.”

“Well, not ridiculous. I want you to be happy, darling, and if I thought she’d do that for you, I’d be the first to cheer you on. It’s just that she’ll go back to London soon, and I don’t want you to get hurt. In any case, her family could cause a lot of trouble over it if they were to find out.”

“I know. Look, it’s not a big deal. I just met her. I do like her, but I don’t even know what she wants with me, to be honest. Probably just bored and keen for a bit of experimentation. Maybe she even _wants_ to piss off her parents. Who knows?”

The words sounded false, even to herself. She didn’t even know why she was saying it, casually laying out her worst fears like that. But Dani wasn’t that kind of girl. It would be easier if Jamie honestly thought she was.

Hannah laid a hand on her knee. “Oh, Jamie. I know it’s hard. She really likes you too, I can tell. I wish things were different.”

Jamie jogged her leg. Those words made her heart swell, and then they stabbed at her. She liked hearing someone else say what she’d been suspecting for a while now, that Dani liked her too.

How lucky was she to have a stunning woman like Dani interested in her? She’d been around the block enough to know how rare it was for everything to line up between two people. But how fucking unfair it was to have that and not be able to do anything about it.

She threw her cigarette butt on the ground.

“Yeah. Well. I wish things were different too, but wishing never made anything happen, did it? Don’t worry about it. I’m not going to stuff anything up. I’ll sort it out.”

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah, of course. Thanks. I’ve got to get back to work.”

She went back to the mower, not looking at Hannah again so she wouldn’t have to see the pity on her face.

She’d talk to Dani when she got back from the village. They had to.

Jamie only hoped she had the strength to do the right thing.


	7. Chapter 7

When she saw Owen’s car pulling into the drive, Jamie left the garden to wash up. She scrubbed her face and hands, taking care to get under her fingernails. In the past, she hadn’t cared about coming to the kitchen with a little dirt here and there. It was different since Dani arrived.

When she walked into the kitchen, everyone was crowded around the counter, Owen slicing ham and setting out cheeses and salad for lunch.

At first, nobody knew she was there. She stood in the doorway, watching Dani in profile, eyeing the curve of her ass and her beautiful legs under her gray skirt. She guiltily shook it off and stepped forward. Owen saw her first.

“Would you believe Dani got a job already?”

“That’s fantastic. Congratulations. What is it?”

They locked eyes across the room, and Jamie’s face grew hot. Dani’s blue eyes stared into her own, a current of electricity passing between them. This was going to be even more challenging than she’d thought.

“It’s just babysitting, but there’ll be some tutoring as well. Two kids. I can’t believe that’s all I’ll be responsible for.”

“It’s the Wingrave kids. Miles and Flora,” Hannah added.

“That’s great. Nice kids, from what I know.”

“Yeah, Owen told me they’re related to the old owners of this place. I guess it helped when I told them I was staying here.”

They lined up along the counter, building their own sandwiches. The four of them sat down at the table, talking about Dani’s job while they ate. When they were done, and the others were taking their things to the sink, Jamie rounded the table and approached Dani, speaking quietly.

“I was wondering if you wanted to come with me while I walk the dogs. So we can talk.”

Dani blinked, looking so nervous it made her feel terrible.

“Hey, it’s okay. Nothing bad.”

“All right. Can I get changed first?”

“Of course. I’ll meet you out the front in a few minutes?”

Dani nodded and turned to go, not looking at all reassured. Jamie picked up her plate to take it to the counter. Owen hadn’t noticed anything, but Hannah was looking at her, and she had to bite her tongue from saying anything she’d regret. Hannah was only trying to help – she understood that, but it added to the pressure to get things right.

She paced with Salt and Pepper in front of the doors until Dani came outside, dressed in jeans and a purple sweater.

“You want to walk one of these two?” Jamie asked.

“Sure.”

Jamie handed her Pepper’s lead, and they went together to the lake, stepping toward it without either of them saying a word. She focused on leading Salt, painfully aware of Dani next to her, stiff and scared.

She was scared, too. Maybe she’d be better at this stuff if she hadn’t grown up in a house where you either shouted (like her mother) or withdrew (like her father). As an adult, the communication in her romantic relationships hadn’t been much better. Too much fighting, too much hurt. She’d learned to control her temper, and she and Dani weren’t about to argue anyway. Still, she was out of her depth.

She led them to the gazebo by the lake, where they let off the dogs, so they could run around and sniff the ground by the water. They sat down side-by-side, legs dangling from the edge, a couple of feet of space between them.

While she was still thinking about how to begin, Dani surprised her.

“What happened last night?” she asked, staring straight ahead, forehead creased.

“I’m sorry about that. I didn’t handle anything well.”

“Did I get it all wrong? I thought…something was happening. I hoped maybe…” she broke off and let out a nervous laugh.

“You weren’t wrong. Not at all. I did want something to happen. But I realized we shouldn’t, and I’m sorry.”

“I’m so embarrassed. You’d changed your mind, and I almost tried to kiss you.”

“No, please, don’t be embarrassed. You didn’t do anything wrong. I shouldn’t have put my arm around you like that.”

“So, I didn’t misread things?”

They looked at one another, Dani’s eyes wide and vulnerable. God, she wished she could hold her. She averted her eyes back out to the water to keep herself in check.

“Of course, you didn’t. I got a bit carried away, though. You’re a guest here, and I was inappropriate.”

“Does that matter so much? Me being a guest?”

“Yeah, it does. I’ve got a responsibility to the business, and to the others, to not cause any problems.”

“What problems?”

“I don’t want to get ahead of myself, but if anything happened between us and things went wrong, it would be messy. With you staying here. I can’t imagine your family would be too thrilled if they found out, either.”

“That’s true.”

“So. Again, I’m sorry. I knew all this before, and I should’ve thought about my actions more,” she said, eyes darting toward Dani’s face. Still staring at the dogs, still looking upset.

“Okay. Thanks. I’m sorry, too.”

Jamie rubbed her palms on her jeans. Dani’s tone made it clear the subject was closed. But nothing had been resolved, and she didn’t know what to do about it. They couldn’t leave it like this, could they?

“I wish things were different. You know I don’t like this, don’t you?”

Dani’s next words spilled out, tumbling over one another.

“I don’t know! I don’t know what to think about anything. Sometimes I can’t tell if you’re nice to me because you like me as a friend, or as something more, or just because I’m a guest. It’s all very confusing.”

A smile tugged at Jamie’s lips, and she suppressed it. Why did she have to be so fucking cute? She was brave, too, and honest. She owed it to her, to be honest in return.

“You’re the first guest I’ve ever asked out to the greenhouse. I don’t normally spend as much time with them. It’s usually only at mealtimes or for the weekly movie. Rest of the time, I stick to myself. And it’s both. I like you as a friend and the other way, too. I’d like to have more with you, but seeing as we can’t, I’d like to be your friend.”

While she was speaking, Dani turned to look at her, a cautious smile spreading across her face.

“I thought you might like girls, but I wasn’t sure if I’d be your type.”

“Oh, sure. Not my type at all. Never cared for smart, beautiful women,” she said sarcastically, making Dani’s smile widen. “I’ve been trying to figure you out, too. Have you liked women before?”

Dani drew up her knees, resting her cheek on them. “Yes. I only like them. But I’ve never acted on it.”

“And your ex?”

“We’d already been together for a while when I started to understand it. And then I thought if I stuck with it, things would change. But then I realized that it wasn’t going away, and I wasn’t sure if I wanted it to, either.”

Jamie nodded. She remembered the feeling of shame giving way to the pleasure of wanting.

“Have you ever talked to anyone about it before?”

“Nope. Never.”

“I want you to know you can talk to me whenever you want.”

“I’d like that.”

“I really would like to be friends. If that’s something you’d want.”

Dani looked up at her, hugging her knees. “I do want that. And I’m disappointed, but I get what you’re saying. I’m living here for another two months. It’s not the ideal way to start dating someone.”

She turned her face into her knees and shook her head. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to assume that you’d date me. I meant if anything were to happen.”

“Dani, it’s okay. I’d have considered myself lucky if _you’d_ wanted to date _me._ But friends, it is. And now I should get back to work.”

They both stood, Jamie brushing off the back of her pants. She whistled until the dogs came back, and they each clipped them to their leads. They started back toward the house, Jamie feeling a little lighter.

“Don’t take it the wrong way if I don’t go out to the greenhouse tonight. I’m pretty tired. I’m in for an early night,” she said.

“No problem. I’m pretty tired myself.”

When they got back, they both stood for a moment.

“Well, thanks for everything.”

“Thanks to you too. Friends,” Jamie said, holding out a hand.

Dani nodded, taking her hand, and they shook once.

Jamie ignored the tingling sensation as their palms kissed. She could be mature and do the right thing, just like she’d said. This place was her life, and she was going to protect both it and her own heart, no matter what it cost her.

***

Dani tossed and turned. The last twenty-four hours were enough to make her feel wired. She was excited about getting a job, but it was the talk with Jamie more than that.

The whole point of that conversation was that nothing could ever happen between them. Still, all Dani could focus on was the fact that Jamie had bluntly said that she liked her back.

Since breaking up with Eddie, Dani had wondered how to begin to seek this out. Without even looking, she’d found a woman like Jamie, who was interested in her. That was a miracle.

There was yet another thing on her mind. Before coming up here tonight, she’d called Helene, who told her that she was planning to visit on the weekend. She should be happy – she loved her sister – but over the past few weeks, Bly Manor had become a sanctuary. The thought of being around anyone from her family stressed her out.

Dani rolled onto her back, staring at the ceiling. Throwing back the blankets, she decided to get something warm to drink. She put on her robe and padded out of her room, her long pink nightgown brushing against her legs.

The house was still and so quiet, the only sound coming from the old clock in the hall. She wondered what it was like for Jamie to be here by herself when there weren’t any guests.

The light was still on in the kitchen. She’d never been down this late and figured they might leave it on for guests to find their way. It wasn’t until she was halfway to the fridge that she realized she wasn’t alone.

“Shit!” she said, hand going to her chest.

The pantry was open, Jamie standing looking into it. When Dani came upon her, she’d jumped too.

“Jesus woman! You’ve got to announce your presence. Do we need to get you a bell?”

“Sorry! I came down to get something to drink.”

“Can’t sleep?”

Dani shook her head, noticing that Jamie wore only a black tank top with her sweat pants. Dani’s gaze dropped enough to see how thin the fabric was, and it showed off her toned arms, too. Her hair was tied back messily, dark curls framing her face.

“What about you? Can’t sleep either?” Dani asked.

“Nah. Should I make us some warm milk? Isn’t that what you’re supposed to have?”

“I don’t know, I didn’t come from a warm milk kind of family.”

“Me neither. We should try it.”

They made a mutual decision that they couldn’t be bothered going all the way out to the greenhouse. Instead, they took their mugs of milk into the living room so they could sit on the sofa. They left the space dark, save for the light slanting in from the hall.

“I hope what happened last night, or what we talked about today, doesn’t have anything to do with you not being able to sleep?” Jamie said once they’d settled in.

“Maybe a little. I was thinking about my sister coming to stay here on the weekend, too. I called her before.”

“Ah. It’ll be interesting to meet another one of the Clayton tribe.”

They talked about Helene for a while before Dani changed the subject.

“I feel like you know a lot about my family and Eddie, but I don’t know about your past. Have you had any serious girlfriends?”

Jamie blew on the top of her milk. “No beating around the bush from you. Yes, I did have a serious girlfriend called Ann. That was a while ago. We broke up before I came to live in Bly.”

“What was she like?”

“We were together a couple of years, but we weren’t a good mix. We should have stayed friends. Maybe not so different from you and Eddie, in the end.”

“Did you always know that you liked women?”

“Been dying to ask me that, haven’t you? I can tell,” Jamie said, lightly pushing on Dani’s shoulder.

“Maybe a little. I’ve never had anyone to talk to about this stuff!” she replied sheepishly.

“It’s okay. Really. I knew when I was pretty young, but I kept it to myself until I moved out of home. Then it just always felt right. I never questioned it.”

“That’s how I feel about it, now. But is that weird when I’ve never even…”

Jamie was staring at her - not in a bad way - but she felt so exposed.

“You can say it. I told you today I wanted you to be able to talk to me. I meant that.”

Dani scanned Jamie’s face. There wasn’t a trace of judgment there, which is how she always felt with Jamie.

“I was just going to say I’ve never even kissed a woman before. But I’m still sure. Do you know what I mean?”

“Of course, I do. I’ve never been with a man, but I sure as hell know I wouldn’t like it. Same for you, but in reverse. Right?”

“Yeah. Even it does make me feel like a loser to have never done anything about it. Like I’m the oldest person who never got to kiss someone they really wanted to.”

“Dani, you’re not a loser. Don’t say that. You’re really worried about this, aren’t you?”

Dani stared down into her mug. Was she embarrassing herself? Of course, she was worried. Eddie was the only person she’d ever kissed, and she hadn’t even liked it. It was starting to feel like it didn’t count in some vital way.

It wasn’t that she thought she wouldn’t know what to do. She knew what she wanted very well. Was she ever going to get the chance? Without Jamie, it didn’t feel like it.

“I don’t even know if I’d be…good at things. I mean, I’d have to tell any woman I meet that I’ve never been with one before, and I just have no experience. What if that’s a turn-off? Sorry. I’m so tired. Please ignore me. I don’t know what I’m saying.”

“You don’t have to apologize.”

Jamie put her mug on the table in front of them, then reached over to take Dani’s too. She set it down, taking a deep breath before she turned back to her.

“If it’s as important as it seems to be to you, we could. If you wanted to. If we both understand it’s a one-time thing, and it doesn’t mess up the friendship.”

Dani stared at her, face burning. Should she be insulted right now? The proposition didn’t sound very romantic. It wasn’t at all how she’d imagined things going between them. Yet, all she had to do was look at Jamie to know that she wanted this, too.

She was staring at Dani’s mouth with a combination of tenderness and heat. The sight made Dani’s stomach twist pleasantly.

Before she had time to let her mind take over, she took Jamie’s hand. She still needed to hear Jamie say it.

“This isn’t because you feel sorry for me, is it? I wouldn’t want it like that.”

Jamie shook her head, eyes not leaving Dani’s face. “You know that’s not what this is.”

She sensed that Jamie wasn’t going to be the one to initiate it; she was waiting for her. She stared at her for a long time, wondering if Jamie was going to change her mind. This was crazy. Jamie just stared back at her, steady and sure.

With desire bigger than her fear, she quickly moved forward, finding Jamie’s lips. They were warm and softer than she’d dreamed of, pressing back gently against her mouth. Jamie’s hair was on her skin, her smell clean and fresh, the taste of her like heaven.

With a feather-light touch, Jamie brushed a thumb over her cheek, sending a shiver through her. Jamie’s mouth moved once, softly brushing Dani’s lower lip.

Everything about it was different and right. It built heat between her legs, making her want so much more.

A too-brief moment later, Jamie was moving back, looking at her with her eyebrows raised.

“Was that okay for you?”

Dani searched for words. They couldn’t be finished, could they? It had barely started, but her heart fluttered.

“It was nice.”

“Nice, was it? I think I’m offended.”

They stayed in one another’s space, both leaning forward, the air between them pulsing with tension.

“I liked it, but it wasn’t really enough to go on.”

“Oh, I see. We can’t have that, can we?” she said, tracing a finger over Dani’s collarbone, making her nipples harden.

At the same moment, they each drew closer, lips joining. It wasn’t soft this time. This was Dani’s chance to kiss her, the thing she’d wanted more than anything, and she was going to make the most of it. She tasted Jamie’s plump lower lip, feeling Jamie breathe against her.

Before long, she opened her mouth, Jamie following her lead. Dani slipped in her tongue, Jamie meeting it with her own, letting out a moan that made the flutter in her stomach intensify.

She used her hand to cup Jamie’s jaw, their kiss growing more heated by the second. Their mouths fit together perfectly, and though their eagerness made the kiss messy, there was nothing awkward about it.

Dani had been kissed a thousand times, but she’d never been the one doing the kissing. She’d never wanted to; she’d been comfortable with being passive. It felt amazing to take control like this because she wanted to.

Jamie matched her every step of the way, returning her hunger. Dani lifted her other hand and ran it over Jamie’s upper arm. It was soft and firm at the same time, the skin so smooth.

They kissed for what felt like hours, Jamie’s hands all over her. They roamed to her back, up into her hair, and onto her shoulders. They gently pulled her close. She’d admired those hands so many times now, but she could never have imagined how amazing they’d make her feel.

Dani had never understood how sensitive her lips could be. And every time Jamie’s tongue touched hers, she grew wetter. She hadn’t known she could get turned on from kissing, but she was readier than she’d ever been. She could hear herself moaning but didn’t care how she sounded; Jamie was doing the same thing.

They broke apart, foreheads resting against one another’s, catching their breath.

“Maybe we should go up to bed,” Jamie said, then squeezed her eyes shut, smiling. “Sorry, that didn’t sound right. I meant separately, to sleep.”

“Okay,” she replied, but then Jamie was kissing her again, mouth hot and eager.

Dani wanted to push her onto her back and touch more of her, but she feared that she might break the spell if she did.

At last, their kiss slowed and stopped. Jamie bolted up from the sofa, chest rising and falling fast.

“I think I’d better go up. Will you be alright?”

Dani stood, nodding. She couldn’t seem to stop staring, eyes pulled to how Jamie’s nipples showed through her tank top.

“Come here,” Jamie said and hugged her.

Jamie kissed the side of her face softly, and Dani had to resist turning her head to keep kissing her. She was sure that if she did, Jamie wouldn’t refuse her. But Jamie seemed to be desperately clinging to a boundary, and she knew she should respect it.

Jamie whispered into her ear before she reluctantly let go. Her voice, sweet and husky, made Dani weak at the knees.

“Trust me, Dani. You’re _very_ good at things.”


End file.
